SPRING SPECIAL!
Save for long weekends this Spring.  All four day+ stays qualify for the weekly rate of $150/night (instead of $250/night for weekends and $175/night for weekdays).  Three day weekend stays are now $500 (a savings of $175).  Take advantage of the savings and get away from work!

RATES
Peak Season ( 6/9-9/6)    $1,400/week - weekly (Saturday-Saturday)
Spring          (4/27-6/8)   $1,050/week, $250/night Friday/Saturday, $175/night Sun-Thurs
Fall               (9/7-10/7)   $1,050/week, $250/night Friday/Saturday, $175/night Sun-Thurs
Off  Season   (10/8-4/26)  $875/week, $200/night Friday/Saturday, $150/night Sun-Thurs
Contact 206-399-0058 or info@harper-house.com for details

A NATURE LOVER'S PARADISE
Escape to the beauty and majesty of the Pacific Northwest in this secluded, custom-built waterfront vacation home. This is the kind of vacation house you might go to write a book or just get away from it all. Enjoy views of bald eagles, deer, blue heron, osprey, salmon, seals and sea lions right off the wraparound deck. In addition to the natural beauty, this home was designed with your complete comfort in mind, with high ceilings, mahogany floors, and a huge kitchen and bar area. It is located just outside the charming town of Gig Harbor and is also close to the Olympic Rainforest, Seattle, Mount Rainier, and more.

THE DECK
There really is no better way to enjoy the beauty of the area than to wake up in the morning and to take it all in from the deck. The wildlife specatle is incredible.

THE MASTER BEDROOM
The master bedroom includes a king-size Englander mattress with 400-plus thread-count sheets. The luxurious bed and tranquil silence ensure restful nights, from which you will wake to stunning views of the bay and wildlife.

THE KITCHEN
A kitchen with a view! Prepare the day's catch with a complete view of the bay and stream. The kitchen includes top-quality appliances, commercial grade cookware, a professional knife set, as well as complete sets of wine glasses, cups, plates and silverware for six. The kitchen and bar area is a great place to cook as well as chat between the kitchen and the living room while you prepare a romantic dinner for two or cook up the days catch for the family.

WILDLIFE VIEWING
For anyone who has never experienced a true Alaska-style salmon stream*, it's pretty incredible! The freshwater stream is very clear. You can see the fish right from the deck. And of course, the eagles are there for the salmon as well. The Salish House is also home to cranes, osprey and other bird life. It's the Discovery Channel right outside your door.

THE AREA
The house is located five miles outside of downtown Gig Harbor , and 45 minutes from the Sea/Tac airport. Local shopping, dining, art galleries, a day spa, and theatre are just minutes away, or you can go a bit further and take in Seattle, Mount Rainier, or the Olympic Rainforest. The location of the house is perfect for those looking to experience the great outdoors as well as have fun in the city or just relax in secluded elegance.

LOCAL ACTIVITIES
The property is just three miles from Horseshoe lake and Horseshoe lake golf course. It's within a 20 minute drive of three world class courses: McCormick Woods, Trophy Lake and Gold Mountain. In addition to golf, kayaking, sailing, hiking and beachcombing are popular activities in the area. The Purdy Spit is just a few miles down the road. Hunt for shells or just swim and relax in the sun. The town is Gig Harbor is about a ten minute drive and is absolutely where you want to go for dinner, a nightcap and the best view of Mt. Rainier around.
 

GUEST COMMENTS, REVIEWS, AND STORIES
We found the Salish house using the VRBO website and are extremely glad we did. We were coming out to Washington from Montana to do Invitro and knew we would be out here for about 2 weeks. We really wanted to bring our dogs with us and were greatful we found this house. We needed a place that would be close to Seattle but yet far enough away so we could relax and try to be stress free. This place was perfect for us. Our dogs loved being in the water and we took them on long walks around the area. We definitely are coming back here to enjoy this place during the summer months. We were here at the end of December beginning of January and now we want to experience it during the dry months. We have decided that we will try to come here at least once a year. The owner was wonderful to work with and we enjoyed our stay very much!
-Mara Beard, Billings Montana (marakelley@yahoo.com)

We had a wonderful stay over the Thanksgiving holiday at The Salish House.
Salmon fishing was available right from the deck and it was great looking at the birds, though except for the ducks I confess I couldn't name them. The other birds were exotic.
The well-equipped kitchen was wonderfully and the furniture comfortable and cozy. Ed and Carrie, his house manager, were both available throughout by phone to answer questions and make wonderful suggestions. It is a great house to stay in.
-Eric Heyer, New York, New York (ejh3@columbia.edu)

The Salish House gets our highest praise and recommendation. We had a wonderful long weekend in this serene and peaceful paradise. The beautifully decorated house is so comfortable, and it was a joy to cook in the fully equipped gourmet kitchen. The owner and the site manager couldn’t have been more considerate and helpful. We loved watching the ducks, Canadian geese, blue herons, otters, and other wildlife. Although it seemed like we were in our own private world, shopping and entertainment are within a short drive. We’re looking forward to a longer stay next year with additional family members.
-Lynn & David Thrush, Seattle, WA (lynn.imler@pfcenter.com)

I could not have picked a better spot for our first vacation to the US. The cabin was great & the flowers & wine on our arrival was a really nice touch & most appreciated. The peace,quiet & terrific surroudings made it the ideal chill-out spot after a day in the hussle & bussle of the city. Sitting on the deck in the evening with a drink was relaxing & the view made it special. I would recommend this spot & would love to return some day.
-Brian Rae, Fraserburgh, Scotland (br@helenslea.demon.co.uk)

Boy, is this comment ever late .. shame on us .. my husband and i used the VRBO site for the first time choosing The Salish House for our August 2006 vacation. An unbelievable experience and one that we would highly recommend to anyone thinking of this "paradise" as their vacation. All of our email interactions with the owner were of the highest quality; from quick responses to answering our many, many questions no matter how silly or how many .. initial directions were easy and we found our "home away from home" without any difficulty. And, what a home it was; just beautiful inside and out .. the accomodations were perfect, the home was clean, the outside was beautiful from the green grass, to the wonderful lake behind the house that is so close you can almost reach out and touch it !! Watching the salmon everyday was delightful as was our surprise at seeing two eagles !! We truly felt extremely comfortable in our surroundings and the mattress .. well .. what we wouldn't give to know the brand so we could purchase one; the best week of sleep ever !! We even initially had a problem with the TV working but the owner immediately responded by having his housekeeper bring in a temporary one and the following day a brand new TV was hooked up and ready to go for us .. this owner definitely knows how to keep his "customers" happy and more than willing to return and recommend others. We met neighbors on the darling lane that the house is on who brought us a homemade blackberry cobbler and visited for two hours; we subsequently took them to dinner and had a wonderful evening. The town of Gig Harbor and other neighboring towns are a must see; gorgeous surroundings, beautiful lake in Gig Harbor, wonderful restaurants, wonderful people, golf was superb and Horseshoe Lake is also a must see; as picturesque as a Norman Rockwell painting..grassy beach area, families picknicking, children frollicking in the lake .. something you just don't see much of these days ! Our weather was perfect; no rain with one cloudy day, otherwise, sunshine, perfect temperatures and true to the word of the owner; there were no mosquitoes !! Don't miss out on this site .. it is just perfect, perfect, perfect from all aspects. And, Ed .. thank you, again, for everything !!
-Jan/Brad Howard, Scottsdale,AZ (swtpea28@cox.net)

We absolutely loved this vacation rental, so peaceful andf serene and Gig Harbor is VERY near for fun. The river and the woods are so appealing and so quiet you could drop a pin. We even enjoyed the rain as we are from Palm Springs, California. The house is totally well equipped, great TV and computer for you to use.Bedding of the best quality and the beds extraordinarily comfortable. We woudl really go back maybe for longer next year. Heavenly place. The reflection of the trees in the water just breath taking.
-Bobby & Elizabeth Huggins, Palm Desert, California (EMHuggie@aol.com)

Our first trip to Washington State and the Salish House was an excellent choice for us. Very peaceful and quiet away from the city with views of the water and wildlife, just what we were looking for. We saw wild deer, raccoons and eagles. If you like to golf there are great courses in the area. The week of June 8th was perfect golf weather for us, almost like golfing in air conditioning - well compared to Hawaii. The drive to Mt. Rainier was spectacular with beautiful views and waterfalls. There are places to dine at Gig Harbor. We went grocery shopping and made breakfast at the house, the kitchen has everything you need. The stay was relaxing, almost like home.
-Pauline Ewart, Kapolei, Hawaii

We spent a week at Salish House during the week of May 22, and had a great time. The home is located in a perfect area in what appears to be preserve, on the water. The water appears to be a creek or stream that feeds off the sound. The area is quiet, and the setting and views are absolutely stunning. We observed eagles soaring and feeding off the water, numerous Canadian geese and other birds, fish jumping out of the water, and a neighbor's cat that my son fell in love with. The home is has a cabin feel with a 5 star hotel appearance, functioning appliances, a satellite big screen television and is well kept. There are grocery stores, food establishments, coffee houses, and video stores within minutes in Gig Harbor. Our kids loved the zoo in Gig Harbor, and the dinner train in Renton. The people in Washington were also very nice and accomodating. If you're looking for a great place to unwind and re-tool, this is the place.
-Edwards Family, Orange County, California

Nice house…we really enjoyed our stay. Our 9 year old liked all the birds especially the eagles. He would get the telescope out and watch them. One day we watched 6 of them sitting in a tree and swooping down and getting fish out of the creek. It was like watching the Discovery channel. We would get up in the mornings with the sun coming into the house and we would go out on the deck and drink a cup of coffee and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. Even the tide in and out changed the scenery daily. We also adventured around the peninsula and visited the hatchery and learned how they tag salmon. Over all we had a nice relaxing spring break. We have already talked about coming back.
-Price Family, Kennewick, WA (price23@clearwire.net)

The Salish House is the perfect place to kick back for a week of R&R. There are lots of great activities in the area and the lodge is full of character. A cup of coffee on the deck overlooking the creek each morning is a must. I loved it!
-Anonymous, San Francisco, CA  

The property was a real discovery for us, and we enjoyed every minute of our stay. The views, nature trails, wildlife, and the cozy feel of the Salish House tucked along Minter Creek were absolutely an amazing experience. This is truly a unique getaway that is guaranteed to recharge and de-stress. Everyone should be so lucky to experience this kind of environment at least once in their lifetime. We will happily recommend it to others and wish you the very best in making Salish House known far and wide. Already looking forward to coming back again soon!
-Rod and Jodi Tappan, Vancouver, WA

This vacation getaway is the most unique and beautiful of all the rental getaways I have found. The view... ahhhhh! A constantly changing landscape throughout the day as the tide rises and falls over what look like Easter basket grass islands. At one point, even these become submerged and the view is, by anyone who stumbled upon its account, a large serene lake. This is also a bird lovers’ paradise. I literally could not count the species. Oh, and inside the house – let’s not forget that. This is a perfectly designed, warm, impeccably decorated oasis. Just as well suited to a party as it is to a quiet day of self-reflection. I can imagine the next great work of literature might be drafted at the desk in the master bedroom area which looks out to the incredible view. I could go on and on to say the least. Speaking of least, as in last but not least, the owner of this home and his assistant were the two most courteous, appreciative, welcoming and flexible vacation property owners I have ever encountered. Yes, I recommend this place!
-Lynda Jonas, Seattle, WA

WE HAD THE MOST RELAXING TIME THERE MY DAUGHTERS LOVED TO WHATCH THE DUCKS & ALL THE OTHER BIRDS IN THE WATER MY 2 1/2 YEAR OLD LOVED THE ONES INSIDE TO SHE HAD TO PET THEM ALL THE TIME. VERY CALM & PEACEFUL PLACE TO STAY. WE HOPE TO BE STAYING THERE AGAIN!!!! SOON
-Bethany , Idaho (bethanyp@qrowireless.com)

Only an hour from the city makes this the IDEAL romantic getaway! I loved staying here and cant get back soon enough! From the fireplace in the bedroom to the eagles and salmon right outside the door I doubt I will ever find a place that is as lovely and romantic as this. Thank you for a wonderful week, we hope to be back soon!  The bed was awsome! So comfortable and lux with those sheets. I give you guys 5 stars.
-Dina Good, Seattle WA (artisticdiva65@hotmail.com)

I loved the amenities and ambience of the cabin but the most incredible experience for me was the walk around the property at sunrise. Because I am an early riser, I'm always looking for something to do in the morning. I was enticed outside by mallards quacking in the estuary. Since we had arrived late the night before, I wasn't prepared for the natural beauty of this setting. So, with coffee in hand I explored the trail along the stream through moss covered alder and stands of cedar. It was like walking through my own private park. I looked for salmon in the stream and watched abundant waterfowl, kingfishers and gulls feeding along the shore. The highlight was flyfishing for salmon right in front of the cabin. I could actually fly fish from the deck at high tide! Thanks for a wonderful stay and one of the most relaxing times I've had in the Pacific Northwest.
-Greg Reese, Spokane, WA (gregory_reese@merck.com)

Thanks so much for our special Labor Day weekend at your cabin in Gig Harbor Wash. It does not get much better in the beautiful Pacific Northwest!!! When we arrived we were amazed at the quiet and peaceful surroundings. The cozy and beautiful cabin is breathtaking. We enjoyed B-B-Q'ing each and every evening as we watched the sunset and herring as we enjoyed a nice Wash. wine. The most awesome sight for us was watching the salmon spawning each day. It was awesome and we were taking pictures all day. You have to experience this!!!!  It was great just to relax, cuddle,watch movies, or head to Gig Harbor for a drink or shopping.(ps. it's hard to leave this beautiful place on earth) thanks again and we will be back.
-Lynn Hathaway, Spokane,Wa (blhathaway@att.net)